"That thing..."
When the maid heard Shion's voice, she rushed forward.
"What's wrong?"
Shion slowly lowered her head. "That thing... tried to wake up again."
"Let's return to the ancestral hall first. There are still many people alive there."
"Yes!"
The maid, clearly aware of the situation with Naruto, nodded and, with a respectful tone, lifted Shion onto her back once more.
Moments later, they arrived at the ancestral hall.
Shion, now dressed in the formal attire of a shrine maiden, stood tall and focused.
"This time, our mission is to escort you to the Sealed Shrine," Naruto declared.
The maid lowered her head, her eyes red. "Just as Miss Shion predicted... many lives were lost..."
Upon hearing this, Shion snorted coldly.
"Of course, my safety has always been the long-held wish of those people."
Her tone was rebellious, as if resigned to her fate.
"I'm sorry... Naruto-sama, that's not what Miss Shion meant," the maid quickly apologized, already used to Shion's attitude.
Naruto waved a hand dismissively, his gaze locking with Shion's.
"Another fatalistic prophecy?"
He stood up slowly and continued, "Let's imagine that Miroku Shion possesses the power of a miko—a power that can seal monsters. Perhaps it's a power from another world... no, what if it's the very essence of the world itself?"
Naruto squatted down in front of Shion, his presence commanding.
Shion's pupils contracted slightly as she stared into Naruto's face.
Before she could react, Naruto reached out and gently placed his hand on her forehead.
Drawing upon the forest's power, the miko's energy hidden within Shion surged forth.
Naruto closed his eyes, carefully sensing and comparing the two energies.
"As I suspected, this power is unlike anything the ninjas wield. The energy of ninjas, after all, traces back to the Ten-Tails and the Otsutsuki."
"Let's call this... miko's power."
After absorbing the energy, Naruto slowly withdrew his hand.
The sensation was subtle, and Shion, feeling nothing unusual, remained unaware of the transfer.
Suddenly, Naruto's azure eyes shifted. The familiar purple patterns swirled, complex and intricate.
But the distance was too short for Shion to miss it—the design mirrored her own and her mother's eyes.
'Three, two, one...'
Naruto silently counted in his mind.
Sure enough, three seconds later, Shion spoke.
"Why do you have these eyes?"
Shion's brows furrowed as she rubbed her eyes, confused. Naruto's gaze returned to its usual azure hue, and she felt no trace of the power she had sensed.
"Was it a hallucination?"
Shion shook her head, still uncertain, and looked at Naruto, speaking slowly.
"You... will die..."
The maid's pupils dilated in shock.
Naruto smiled, undeterred.
"I will die?"
Shion nodded firmly, her expression serious. "Soon, you will die from a piercing blow to your chest."
The maid's face turned white as a ghost.
She hesitated, torn.
To change the prophecy, they would need to separate from Shion. But if Naruto left... the Demon Kingdom would fall into chaos.
After a deep breath, the maid spoke, her voice strained.
"Lord Naruto... please leave the Land of Demons now!"
"Miss Shion's prophecies..."
Naruto waved her off, a confident smile on his face.
"Even if the world were to crumble, I may not die."
"Your mission is complete. Go and assist elsewhere. The Ghost Country is in chaos—leave the little miko to me."
"Naruto-sama, the prophecy..."
"Trust me."
Naruto stepped closer to the maid, offering a reassuring smile and a gentle pat on her shoulder.
The maid's face flushed a deep red, her heart racing.
"Th-thank you..."
"Go on."
"Yes!"
After the maid left, Naruto turned to Shion.
"Alright, we should go now. I can seal the shrine without leaving a trace."
But Shion, acting stubborn as ever, turned her head and pouted.
"Little miko?"
"Humph!"
With that, Shion stood up and briskly walked toward the door.
Without turning around, she spoke in an annoyed tone:
"Konoha ninja, we're leaving soon. Hurry up and follow me."
The door opened, and Shion led the way.
In front of them lay a mountain with a flowing stream.
"This is where the little... miko cultivates her character."
She smirked, but the playful tone quickly shifted to one of authority.
"There's a secret passage inside."
She paused and, with a mischievous glint in her eyes, turned back.
"I am the shrine maiden of this village!"
"You, a Konoha ninja, don't have the authority to command the people here without my permission!"
"Besides, I get to decide what happens next!"
Naruto chuckled quietly, but Shion's defiant look made it clear she wasn't finished.
Without waiting for a response, she quickened her pace, leaving Naruto to follow.
After passing through the secret passage, Shion wiped a thin sheen of sweat from her brow, her breathing slightly heavy.
"Is something wrong?"
"I'm a miko. My body isn't as strong as a ninja's," she muttered, trying to maintain her composure.
Without a word, Shion leapt onto Naruto's back.
Naruto, having already seen this scenario in his prophetic visions, was unfazed.
After a moment, he turned off the miko's power, focusing solely on the task ahead.
"I can help strengthen your body..."
Shion huffed, clearly trying to maintain her pride.
"I'm a miko; you can't refute me!"
Naruto glanced back at her. Their proximity was such that he could feel her breath on his neck.
"Tsundere? How outdated."
He smirked, sensing the unease hidden beneath her bravado.
"You don't need to hide your fears like this. I told you—you won't die."
Shion fell silent for a moment, and Naruto continued walking, leading the way.
"Slow down... The success of the sealing technique depends on physical stamina."
Shion remained quiet, reflecting on his words. Her previous arrogance began to fade, and she lowered her voice.
"Alright... I'll trust you."
In the end, if it weren't for the fact that she was right behind him, Naruto probably wouldn't have heard what Shion said.
After finishing her words, Shion rested her head on Naruto's back, feeling a warmth and comfort that seemed to seep into her very bones.
Naruto slowed his pace, taking his time. There was no rush. His clone had already begun marking the Flying Thunder God technique across the Land of Demons.
"No matter what... there's no escaping the fate of death," Shion murmured.
"The people I've predicted in the past... they were all willing to sacrifice for me," she continued, her voice soft but laden with the weight of her words.
"If I go against the prophecy and live in disgrace... it won't come true, but I'll still die in the end."
"Recently, even the villagers have started to fear my predictions," she added, her tone tinged with sadness.
Naruto, hearing the melancholy in her voice, suddenly spoke up.
"Hmm... feeling lonely, huh?"
Shion didn't respond immediately, but she snorted softly.
"I resort to being spoiled and willful to cover up my true feelings," she admitted.
Shion tightened her grip around his neck, her words growing quiet but more resolute. "I can't cry, it would be a blasphemy to all those who have sacrificed for me so far..."
"The prophecy is a power that protects the life of the miko. When the miko realizes she's about to die, her soul leaves her body and lets her past self witness her death."
"And after the prophecy... someone will sacrifice their life to protect the miko. That's the fate of the miko."
Naruto nodded slowly. He was able to feel the weight of her words, understanding the loneliness behind them. His soul power was strong enough to kill gods in mere moments, which allowed him to see things others couldn't—an edge that made him see through her, even when she tried to hide her pain.
"Well... if you feel like crying, I've got tissues in my pocket. Don't wipe my back though. It's fine to wipe your tears, but definitely not your nose!" he teased.
Despite herself, Shion couldn't help but chuckle softly, the sadness lifting for just a moment.
Naruto's voice softened, "Destiny can be changed. Have you read my profile?"
As the village's miko, Shion had often been consulted, but today she had read about the famed ninjas of Konoha. She'd chosen the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki without hesitation. She'd sensed a connection to him, realizing he shared the same burden of being an outcast, hated by his own people.
Once the tension between them eased, Shion found a comfortable position behind Naruto, her voice quieter now. "Whenever my heartbeat quickens and I hear the sound of a bell, I can see the future."
"Before you were attacked by thieves today, I saw a future in which you died." She hesitated, voice barely above a whisper. "If you keep me with you... you'll die, just like I saw in that vision."
Her voice trailed off, and suddenly the air around them grew tense.
Shion's body went stiff, her grip tightening. "Ah~!" she cried out, panic creeping into her voice. "Danger... Danger!"
"Ah~! I'm going to fall!" she shouted, but Naruto's voice remained calm.
"It won't work if you're too fast. You'd be scared if it was flying... you won't fall." He gave a small laugh.
"Let me down... let me down!" Shion pleaded.
Whoosh—
Naruto released her, but to his surprise, she clung to his neck even tighter, refusing to let go.
"Why won't you come down?" Naruto asked, a smirk tugging at his lips.
Shion's eyes were red from frustration. "You're bullying me again," she muttered.
Chuckling, Naruto lifted her slightly, "Actually, the view from here isn't half bad."
"Once it develops, this area could be a popular tourist spot," he mused aloud. "Besides, this is the only road to the Swamp Country with water."
He glanced down at the terrain. "It'd be faster if we just flew, but unfortunately, you're too weak and afraid of heights."
Shion huffed, irritated. "Who... who's afraid of heights? I just can't get used to it!"
"Now there's absolutely no problem!" she declared.
"Really?" Naruto raised an eyebrow, smirking. He activated several vines from his back and secured Shion tightly to him.
"Great. I have a few abilities I've been wanting to experiment with," he said with a mischievous grin.
Shion immediately felt a chill run down her spine. "What abilities?"
"Water Style: Hydro Glide," Naruto said as he summoned chakra, creating a steady stream of water under his feet.
He looked ahead at the stone pillars that stood on the river's surface and the mountains on either side. "Might as well call this the Roller Skate Technique."
With that, he jumped onto the side of the mountain.
Shion's face went pale as the angle of their descent tilted sharply.
Whoosh—
The next moment, Naruto was gliding across the mountain, moving at a speed so fast that Shion could only cling to his back, too terrified to even look at the landscape below.
Naruto chuckled as he effortlessly performed several more ninjutsu. "If used properly, these techniques could easily be classified as B-level, maybe even S-level."
"When we get back, I'll have Second Grandfather look into them," he mused. "And transforming elements... That's the real gain here."
Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.
"Ah, the Shadow Mirror Body Changing Method…" he muttered, remembering a technique passed down in the Land of Demons. "This might be perfect for Haku."
As night fell, Naruto and Shion arrived at the entrance to their destination. After marking the spot, the stone behind them began to tremble.
From the stone emerged several stone soldiers, impervious to weapons, water, or fire.
"Oh? This is magic?" Naruto murmured, intrigued. "It resembles Yin Yang Release."
Shion's heartbeat quickened as she pressed closer to Naruto, her voice soft.
"Put me down. You'll die if you keep carrying me like this."
...
TN:
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